I woke up at 3 this morning. Blame it on my anticipation of yoga today. I was pleasantly surprised that a couple of teachers had noticed my absence. It’s been nearly two months since I made it to class.
At one time, I would have groaned in my head about the expected obstinacy of the muscles but this time was different. There wasn’t any resignation or aversion, just acceptance of my situation as is. I did my stuff, forgot a couple of asanas and wrapped up without straining too much. While my body remained mostly silent, the mind was activated to a sharpness, a slowing of time. I noticed more around me, like the smell of wet leaves and the chimes singing on the breeze. Maybe it was a result of saying the invocation with our eyes open. That was today’s instruction and a first in class. I have done it at home but that felt different from an unexpected instruction in class. But, that’s what I love about this system of learning. It’s less of being taught and more of inquiring.
anonymous sadhaka 
I’m glad you are back to practicing. Part of me feels that there are mandatory time aways required to fully absorb this knowledge. Even Iyengar himself wrote that he took six months off at Krishnamacharya’s request.
Most of last year I spent recovering from my botched assessment. Somehow I feel I am wiser for my “not practice” as I am gradually getting back to it. As I have maintained, I feel most of your best yoga is done during “non practice” as you experience life without the shield of what the daily asanas.
A wise mentor once said any little spiritual progress in Kali Yuga would be equivalent to one thousand times more during more sattvic times. No effort is ever wasted. Even non effort is effort. Many blessings to you Sonia!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for sharing Michael. I suppose my angst was on coming up short without ‘the shield of daily asanas’. That’s such an apt way of putting it.
I remembered you on Guruji’s Punyathithi as I attended the program at the institute. A glimpse of Guruji through the memories of his students across the decades. I remain grateful for the good fortune to study right at the source. Still spartan, always a laboratory.
Thank you once again for always saying what I need to hear. š
LikeLiked by 1 person